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  • CAREER COLUMN

Keep talking to make fieldwork a true team effort

Communication is important across science, but special steps are needed when taking part in research away from the lab, says Anna Osiecka.
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  1. Anna Osiecka

    1. Anna Osiecka is a bioacoustician and marine-animal observer, currently working on seabird vocal behaviour at the University of Gdańsk, Poland.

I’ve been involved in field biology for more than a decade. I started in forest ecology, transited through offshore observations of marine mammals and I now mostly record animal sounds on land and at sea. Many people enter fieldwork not knowing how difficult it often is. Some of the challenges I’ve faced over the years include sickness in remote areas, working crazy hours under heavy rain and sharing tiny bedrooms with colleagues you end up seeing 24/7 for months.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-04416-7

The author declares no competing interests.

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged.

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